A man has died after ‘actively resisting’ against police during an incident involving a child being assaulted in south London. Officers were called to a home on High Street, South Norwood, to reports of a youngster in danger. Inside the property was the 45-year-old man who was suffering a medical emergency. The Metropolitan Police said in a statement he was ‘very agitated’ and was ‘actively resisting’ against officers.
Officers were forced to restrain him and he lost consciousness as a result. Paramedics were deployed to the scene shortly after 1.30am today. He was transported to an ambulance where he became seriously unwell, the Met said. Despite the efforts of medics, he later died in hospital. As a mandatory step when anyone dies or suffers serious injury followingcontact with the police, a referral has been made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
Commander Andy Brittain, who is overseeing the response to this incident, said: ‘Our thoughts are with the family of the man who has died. We will ensure they are fully supported. ‘I know the community in South Norwood will want to be reassured that the incident was handled appropriately. The IOPC is conducting an investigation to provide that independent scrutiny. ‘We must also acknowledge the impact that incidents like this have on the officers involved.
‘In this case they were responding to an emergency call involving a child in danger and on arrival at the scene, were met with a very challenging situation. ‘No officer ever wants to be involved in an incident where someone loses their life and we will ensure they get all the support they need.’. The Met has not yet identified the victim or shared further information about the child. To get the latest news from the capital visit Metro's London news hub.
The IOPC confirmed that an investigation into the contact officers had with the man prior to his death. ‘We have been informed that police went to the address after receiving reports of an assault just before 1.30am,’ a spokesperson said. ‘A man, aged 45, was restrained by officers, who subsequently lost consciousness. Paramedics were called and the man was transported to hospital where he sadly died shortly after 3.30am.’.
Got a story? Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. Or you can submit your videos and pictures here. For more stories like this, check our news page. Follow Metro.co.uk on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news updates. You can now also get Metro.co.uk articles sent straight to your device. Sign up for our daily push alerts here. Arrow MORE: Planning a day out? Save 15% on Madame Tussauds for all the family to enjoy.
